Yearly Archives: 2017

MEA is opposing a bill to create an alternative path to teacher certification in Career and Technical Education (CTE) that would allow anyone to teach those courses if they have a high school diploma or equivalent and a professional license in a subject matter or field, such as plumbing or electrical. Contact your lawmakers to oppose…

A bill that would give money from school enhancement millages to for-profit charter schools is expected to get a vote in a state House committee today—contact your representatives today, and encourage parents and community members to get involved. Your calls and emails have started to make a difference. Changes to SB 574 are planned that would only give money…

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, the Michigan Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the long-running 3 percent case. The evening before, school employees across the state will be gathering for “Flashlight Vigils” across Michigan. Our goal is to “Shine a Light” on the case and the faces of educators who are owed more than $550 million illegally taken from them 7 years ago.

More than 7,000 MEA and AFT Michigan members joined the two unions’ general counsels on a telephone townhall Monday night to discuss the latest on the 3 percent case. If you missed the teleforum, a recording is now available.

This week, the Michigan Department of Education announced a new round of school districts that will enter “partnership agreement” discussions to improve student achievement at priority schools, as well as a new State School Reform Officer to help lead that work. On Monday, MDE released a list of seven new school districts and charter schools they’ll…

EAST LANSING – The following statement can be attributed to Paula Herbart, President of the Michigan Education Association, in response to today’s announcement by the Michigan Department of Education regarding additional districts entering “partnership agreement” discussions to improve student achievement at some of their schools: “State Superintendent Brian Whiston’s announcement today regarding continuation of ‘partnership…

I already knew that was true, but a recent interview with Joan Crampton – an office secretary at Greenfield Elementary in Birmingham Schools – confirmed it a thousand times over.

Few people know the full scope of Crampton’s job as the school’s gatekeeper, enrolling students, ordering supplies, handling the budget, operating as school nurse, coordinating substitutes, and working for the principal.

MEA, along with our sisters and brothers at AFT Michigan, are working on two ways for school employees to get informed and involved ahead of the Supreme Court’s Nov. 8 hearing on the long-running 3 percent lawsuit – including “flashlight vigils” to show the faces of those affected by the case.